Extension, in particular, a drawer

ABSTRACT

An extension, in particular, a drawer, for furniture, motor vehicles; or the like, is injected in one piece from plastic and has at least one receptacle with a recessed floor, with reference to an upper side, and with walls limiting the receptacle. At least one surface part of the extension has an outer surface that inhibits sliding and which is formed as one piece with synthetic material. The outer surface is inhibited from sliding and dampens noise and can be formed in different colors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present application relates to an extension, in particular, a drawer, for furniture, motor vehicles, or the like.

[0002] These types of extensions are injected in one piece from plastic in a cost-effective manner. With this type of extension, upon pulling out of the extension, objects that are held in at least one recessed receptacle are shifted. This causes objectionable folding noise and also, for example, can lead to a high bouncing of the objects upon pulling out of the extension, which thereafter, can detrimentally affect insertion of the extension. This is countered by use of additional insertions made of noise-damping, mat-type insertion parts made of rubber or a similarly soft material. However, these additional insertions have multiple disadvantages, since these types of mats must be correspondingly cut to the correct dimensions. Above all, the inserted mats reduce the depth of the receptacle in the extension in an unfavorable manner, so that under certain conditions, objects, which are to be received in the extension, cannot be fitted in due to a depth that is too small. An increased soiling danger is also a disadvantage, since dirt and other contaminants remaining in the transition regions between the additionally inserted inserts and the bordering regions of the extension can collect there.

[0003] The invention is based on the objected of providing an extension that is structured so that a layer that inhibits sliding can be simply and cost-effectively applied, thereby avoiding the above-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The above object is resolved with an extension of the above-described type, according to the present invention. In the present invention, a surface part of the extension, part of a recessed receptacle, and a wall or top side of the extension can have an outer surface that prevents sliding that is injected as one piece with the plastic material of the extension, thereby offering multiple advantages. For one, a slide-inhibiting layer is realized in a simple and cost-effective manner, which is a consistent and durable surface part of the extension and which causes noise damping. The depth required for inserting object into at least one receptacle of the extension can remain complete, despite the slide-inhibiting outer surface. In addition, it is advantageous that by means of this one-piece, injected slide-inhibiting outer surface, which is injected with the manufacture of the extension in one piece from plastic, the surface part having the slide-inhibiting outer surface, is set off by or contrasted with the remaining regions of the extension, for example, by a different contour and/or color and/or surface structure or the like. The possibilities therefore exist of forming the extension as multi-colored, for example, in two colors, whereby the regions having the slide-inhibiting outer surface, are provided with a different color, for example, green, than the remaining regions of the extension. It is also advantageous that the transition regions between the slide-inhibiting outer surface on one side and the remaining surface regions of the extension are not in danger of being soiled or contaminated and that the slide-inhibiting layer, based on the manufacture, also cannot be removed in this regions or from other surface regions made from the remaining plastic material. In a simple manner, generally the slide-inhibiting outer surface and the layer forming this surface can provide a particular structure upon manufacture, as far as one is desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an extension, here in the form of a flat slider formed as a counting slider; and

[0006]FIG. 2 shows a schematic section along lines II-II in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] As an example of an extension 10, in particular, a drawer, for furniture, motor vehicles, or the like, an extension 10 is shown in the drawing, which here is structured as a flat slider, for example, in the form of a common counting slider, material slider, or utensil slider. This is injected in one piece from plastic and has as at least once recessed receptacle individual divisions 11 through 14 or more, which, respectively, have walls 17 that limited a recessed floor 16, with reference to the top side 15, and the divisions 11 through 14. At least one surface part of the extension 10 has a slide-inhibiting outer surface that is injected as one-piece with the plastic material of the extension 10. In one embodiment that is now shown, at least one surface part, which has a one-piece injection slide-inhibiting outer surface, can be part of the top side 15 of the extension 10. With the shown embodiment, this surface part is part of at least one division, as schematically indicated, for example, for the divisions 11-14, which respectively have accentuating cross-hatching, with the one-piece, plastic injected, slide-inhibiting outer surface 18. In this regard, this slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 extends over at least one part of the floor 15 of the respective division 11-14 and forms therewith its floor surface. The slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 connects at the surface to the respective adjacent surface region, for example, the walls 17. The slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 is set off from the remaining regions of this surface part, which occurs by means of a different contour and/or color and/or surface structure or the like of this surface part with the outer surface 18. In this manner, it is particularly advantageous if the extension 10 has a two-color structure, in which the at least one region having the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18, that is, for example, the floor region of the divisions 11-14, is formed in a different color than the remaining regions of the extension 10. For example, the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 can retained a green color, while the remaining part of the extension 10 is in a different color.

[0008] The respective slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 is formed from a synthetic material that is softer than the remaining synthetic material of the extension 10. In this manner, this slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 can be formed from a layer, also a cross-sectionally thin layer, such as that shown in FIG. 2. The slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 or layer, for example, is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.

[0009] The extension 10 is injected as one piece from two different types of plastic or synthetic materials, in particular, from a hart plastic and a soft plastic, whereby the outer surface 18 is made from the soft plastic and the remainder of the extension is made from the soft plastic. This hard/soft method or also two-component method makes possible in a simple and cost-effective manner an extension 10 of the shown and described type, in which the slide-inhibiting outer surface, formed upon manufacture, is realized as one-piece with the remaining plastic material. This slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 can be structured particularly on the top side in a known type, for example, it can be provided with alternating projections and recesses.

[0010] This type of extension 10 has multiple advantages. By means of the slide-proof outer surface 18, it is achieved that the individual objects inserted in the divisions 11-14, for example, pencils, office clamps, or other inserted parts, upon the longitudinal displacement of the extension 10 along guides, which with the extension 10 is held in a motor vehicle, a piece of furniture, for example, office furniture or the like, are not shifted or are at least only minimally shifted so that the insertion or withdrawal of the extension is not prevented. Further, it is advantageous that the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 causes a noise-damping, so that upon pulling out or insertion, associated folding noises are reduced or eliminated. In this regard, it can be advantageous to provide the individual divisions 11-14 of the extension10 in a corresponding manner with slide-inhibiting outer surfaces 18 in addition to or instead of the walls 17 of the at least one receptacle, in another embodiment (not shown). Based on the shown embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 is set off from the remaining region, in particular, from the circumferentially running walls 17, in another embodiment (not shown), the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 also can reached over the region of the floor 16 on the edge to the region of the walls 17. The border between the floor regions having the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 and the walls 17 of the divisions 11-14 is thereby achieved in a particularly simple manner with the shown embodiment, in that the respective floor 16 is set off downwardly about the cross sectional thickness of the layer of the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 and effectively forms a tray for the receptacle of the slide-inhibiting layer. It is to be understand that the different hatchings in FIG. 2 for the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 and the floor 16 is selected only for a better understanding, whereby, in any event, the walls 17 and the floor 16, like the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18, are formed from a one-piece injected plastic material. For the softer slide-inhibiting outer surface 18, a soft-plastic, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer (for example, TPE) is suitable, while the remaining part of the extension 10, a hard plastic, for example, ABS or polystyrol, can be used.

[0011] A further particular advantage is provided with the described extension 10 with regard to the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18, in that the possibilities are created, for example, for a multi-colored form of the extension 10, in which for the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18, a different color can be selected then that of the remaining part of the extension 10 that is made from hard plastic. In this manner, multiple designs possibilities are provided.

[0012] An addition advantage is that, based on the one-pieces injected structure of the extension 10 from two different plastic materials with a slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 with selected surface parts, no risk of contamination exists where the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 ends and the transition to another plastic material of the extension that is one-piece therewith occurs.

[0013] Also, with the shown embodiment, the invention is explained based on an extension or pull-out in the form of a flat slider, for example, in the form of a common counting slider (money drawer), it is be understood that the extension can also be formed as a drawer for furniture, motor vehicles, or the like in a similar manner. Drawers typically have at least one recessed receptacle with a floor 16 and side walls 17. With this type of drawer, a slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 of the described type can extend at least over a part of the floor 16 as a floor surface. It is also advantageous if this slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 extends over the floor 16 of the receptacle and at least to the inner sides of the wall 17. In this case, the slide-inhibiting and noise-damping effect of the slide-inhibiting outer surface 18 also extends at least to the inner sides of the wall 17.

[0014] It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

[0015] While the invention has been illustrated and described herein as an extension, in particular, a draw, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

[0016] Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

[0017] What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims 

1. Extension, in particular, a drawer, for furniture, motor vehicles or the like, which is injected in one piece from plastic and has at least one receptacle with a recessed floor (16) with reference to an upper side and with walls limiting the receptacle, characterized in that at least one surface element of the extension (10) has a outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding injected as one piece with the extension (10).
 2. Extension according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding extends over at least one part of the floor (16) of the receptacle.
 3. Extension according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface that inhibits sliding (18) extends over the floor (16) of the receptacle and at least to an inner side of the walls (17).
 4. Extension according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding (18) is set off by remaining surface regions, for example, by another shape and/or color and/or surface structure or the like.
 5. Extension according to claim 4, characterized by a multicolored form, in which the at least one regions of the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding is colored differently than remaining regions of the extension.
 6. Extension according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding (18) connects at a surface to an adjacent surface region.
 7. Extension according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding is made from a synthetic material, wherein said synthetic material is softer than remaining synthetic material.
 8. Extension according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding is formed from one layer.
 9. Extension according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.
 10. Extension according to claim 1, characterized by the manufacture of the extension by injection of hard plastic and soft plastic, wherein the outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding is made from the soft plastic and the remaining part of the extension (10) is made from hard plastic.
 11. Extension according to claim 1, characterized by the structure as a flat slider, wherein said flat slider, as a receptacle, has one or more recessed divisions (11 through 14), wherein a surface part of at least one division (11 through 14) has an outer surface (18) that inhibits sliding and that is injected as one piece with the surface part of the at least one division. 